General Election 2015: Row over tax on business erupts between Labour and the Tories March 30, 2015 Labour and the Conservatives will today lock horns over the levels of tax imposed on companies, as business takes centre stage in the fiercely contested General Election campaign. Labour will announce today that, if elected, the party’s first Budget will cut business rates, in a move they say will be worth an average of £400 [...]
General Election 2015: Would an increasing likelihood of a Tory electoral victory see equity markets surge? March 30, 2015 Simon French, senior UK economist at Panmure Gordon, says Yes Over the next 37 days, much of the commentary surrounding the UK election will be deeply biased. So let us just stick to what history can tell investors. In General Elections since 1965, UK equities have on average returned 2.5 per cent in the 30 [...]
General Election 2015: Labour might have a four-point lead in the polls but Conservatives are favourites to win at the bookies, with odds of 1/2 to get the most seats March 30, 2015 Labour may have made a surprise gain of four points in the polls over the weekend, but the Conservatives are firm favourites to get the most seats at the bookies, Ladbrokes said today, with odds of 1/2 as the campaigns kick off. Meanwhile, Labour's odds have shortened in the last 24 hours, from 7/4 to [...]
Kate Robertson: In a digital era, politicians must start a dialogue, not waste time on negative ads that come back to bite them March 30, 2015 Negative "attack advertising" has a great pedigree in British politics. Think of the snaking dole queue of 1979, proclaiming "Labour isn’t working", or the image in 2001 of William Hague adorned with the hair of Margaret Thatcher. "Be afraid, be very afraid", the caption read – aggressive, but with wonderfully British "edge" you never [...]
General Election 2015: And they’re off… The campaign is finally on March 29, 2015 ELECTION COUNTDOWN 38 DAYS TO GO After months of build up, the election campaign is officially here. Charlotte Henry previews the weeks ahead. David Cameron will today drive the short distance from Whitehall to Buckingham Palace, perhaps for the last time as Prime Minister, and ask the Queen to dissolve parliament. This will [...]
Accountants call for a cut in national insurance contributions March 29, 2015 Accountants have put a reduction in employers’ national insurance contributions (NICs) at the top of their election wishlist. Cuts to NICs were seen as the highest priority for tax cuts with 49 per cent of accountants favouring a reduction, according to figures released today by Bloomsbury Professional, a tax and accounting information group. The second [...]
Double General Election poses major threat to construction March 29, 2015 The construction industry could suffer a sharp loss of output if there are two General Elections this year, a public sector procurement specialist said today. A second General Election could occur if the government fails a motion of no confidence without an alternative being put forward. Analysis of data going back to 1955 by Scape [...]
Stock market flotations grind to a halt ahead of General Election March 29, 2015 The expected flood of initial public offerings (IPOs) racing to debut on the stock market ahead of the election has barely materialised, analysts at EY said today. Market commentators had expected a rush of floating firms as sellers tried to cash out before the uncertainty of the General Election, combined with any potential coalition negotiations [...]
Dianne Abbott brands £5 “controls on immigration” mug “shameful” – but it is a Labour pledge March 29, 2015 Labour, it appears, is trying to make a mug out of its supporters with regards to its immigration policy. It has issued, just in time for the General Election, a set of five mugs with its five key pledges to voters. All well and good, but one of the mugs has caused great consternation among [...]
Iain Duncan Smith says David Cameron will not serve full second term March 29, 2015 Iain Duncan Smith has claimed David Cameron will not serve a full second term as Prime Minister if elected, contradicting Cameron's own statements last week. Cameron said he wanted to "finish the job" in a second term but ruled out the possibility of a third term. However work and pensions secretary Duncan Smith veered from [...]